Sweden’s digital lead is slipping – time to speed up
by Julia Seres
Key takeaways
Strong foundation, but losing the lead: Sweden maintains high-speed 5G infrastructure, top global tech innovation, and the EU's highest share of ICT specialists, but other European nations are catching up, causing Sweden to lose its top spot.
Critical adoption and inclusion gaps: Despite high specialist counts, Swedish organizations face ongoing tech skill shortages, underutilize advanced data analytics, and leave roughly 30% of the population behind due to basic digital skill gaps (particularly among youth, elderly, and foreign-born residents).
The path forward requires cross-disciplinary focus: Maintaining competitiveness and meeting the EU’s 2030 digital goals will require moving beyond just good infrastructure toward collaborative efforts that connect business strategy, user-centered design, robust development, and data analytics.
We are used to seeing Sweden as a natural pioneer in digital development. A new report from the Agency for Digital Government (Digg) shows that while we remain steadily above the EU average, we rarely take first place these days. To reach the EU's digital targets by 2030 and continue driving sustainable digital growth, we need to accelerate our efforts – together.
The report, which forms the basis for Sweden's updated national roadmap for the EU's Digital Decade, highlights both clear strengths and exciting areas for development across Swedish business and the public sector.
A solid foundation with strong infrastructure and innovation
There is plenty to celebrate. Sweden particularly stands out when it comes to cutting-edge digital expertise – no other EU member state has such a high proportion of ICT specialists. On top of that, we have top-tier digital infrastructure with well-developed 5G and high-speed broadband nationwide.
The innovation climate is thriving too. Sweden ranks high globally for the growth of fast-moving tech companies, and a solid 86.5 percent of Swedish small and medium-sized enterprises reach a basic level of digital maturity.
The challenges: Data analytics, skills, and inclusion
While the foundation is solid, there are areas where we need to shift into higher gear:
* Better use of data and emerging tech: There is immense potential for businesses to sharpen up on advanced data analytics and new digital technologies to grow their business and elevate customer experiences.
* Skills shortages: Despite having a high share of specialists, organizations and companies continue to face a shortage of specialized talent.
* Digital inclusion: Around 70 percent of the population has basic digital skills, but gaps remain noticeable among youth, the elderly, and foreign-born residents. Digital services must become more accessible and effortless to use for everyone.
The way forward: Cross-disciplinary collaboration
The fact that Sweden no longer tops every single ranking is mainly because the rest of Europe has improved significantly – which is great news for development overall. But to maintain our competitive edge, good infrastructure alone won't cut it.
As digital consultants, we see every day that genuine digital growth happens when diverse skills collaborate. Successful future solutions demand that business strategy, user-friendly design, robust development, thoughtful content, and sharp data analytics work together seamlessly. When we pair smart tech with a genuine human focus, we don't just build better services – we build a more inclusive digital society.
Source: The report "Sverige och det digitala decenniet – underlag till justering av Sveriges nationella färdplan för EU:s digitala decennium", Agency for Digital Government (Digg), August 2026.
